Sirui For The Club Person - Part Three

Far be it from this column to suggest that photographers go armed in public - that sort of behaviour gets you into trouble with the magistrates, and rightly so. Still, it can be a comfort when taking pictures at a family Christmas party or a wedding to carry a stout club with a metal end. You never can tell when the festivities will hot up and it is best to be prepared.

Sirui have released a dandy mace...I mean a very good photographic monopod...to help bring calm and steadiness back to your pictures. The P 326 is made in China where they understand this sort of thing and it is just the thing for most situations.

You'll see from the illustrations that it is made of carbon fibre - and in itself is not a heavy item. 400g. The thing will extend to 154 cm so you can get your camera up to eye level easily, and when folded down is a compact 38cm. The collar at the top is well-finished metal. Should be easy to wipe clean...

Use it whenever you need to steady the camera short of complete immobility - for that you still need a tripod. This is ideal for sports or theatre coverage. At a car show you can set the camera going on self timer and hoist it up above the crowd level for down shots.

The piece-of-carpet-tile or CD disc advice ( thank you, John ) we gave for landscape photographers applies equally with a monopod, plus if you are covering footy or a car race with a heavy rig, it prevents you screwing yourself into the ground. People who submit freelance pictures to publications will get screwed enough without having to pick their lenses out of the mud...

I see that there is also a light carabiner clip and plastic compass included with the monopod. If you are intending to use them to navigate your way through the desert or climb Bluff Knoll I would also suggest an EPIRB and a series of good excuses for when they find you. Send us a picture.

Sirui For The Not Quite So Serious - Part Two

Okay. You have your new mirror-less system camera, you have a card and a battery and have read the instruction book.

You have booked a trip to the Landscape Coast during the sunset season. You are all set to make fabulous postcard views and insightful artistic statements...and you only need one more thing.
You need a tripod.

Trust us. The Landscape Coast will supply all the ocean and sunset you can handle but if you are trying to capture it by balancing the camera on the bonnet of the tour company's 4WD you will be disappointed with the results.

Sirui to the rescue with an extremely lightweight travel tripod plus ball head combination, The T 024X and C10X come as a package deal inside a nylon travel bag. It is ideal for you as a mirror-less user whether you are walking out to the coast or out to the airplane...in both cases weight is a factor and at .8 Kg this choice is a blessing. All thanks to a lightweight yoke casting and carbon fibre legs.

It will hold up to 6 Kg of camera and lens so it is unlikely that you can exceed the spec there. It will come up to 139 cm. so you can deal with your camera out on the rocks with some comfort and confidence. It is weather-resistant so when you are caught by the spray or rain you are not in too much trouble.

The head has an Arca Swiss-fitting quick release and plate - you are not going to have to fumble about in the dark trying to attach the camera. The usual bells and whistles - weight hook at the bottom, reversible column, macro column, and leg spread ( ...for when you graduate to lying in the mud taking pictures of mushrooms...don't laugh...it is coming...)

The leg locks are the screw type and go to a slim line to fit in that carry bag. The whole thing folds back 180º on itself to become smaller. You can easily fit it into your suitcase for longer trips.


Safety note: That red button on the side of the ball head is a saving feature. If the Arca Swiss-size jaws are loosened, it prevents the quick release plate and your camera from lurching sideways onto the ground.

Tripod tip from the experienced. Put three bits of cardboard - or better three bits of carpet tile - into your pocket when you head out into the bush or down to the beach. Put these down as pads under the legs and they won't disappear into soft sand or moss. Much more stability.

Second tripod tip. Wrap one of the CF legs with a strip of reflective tape so that you can see the little beggar in the twilight and don't stumble over it.

Sirui For The Serious - Part One

Sirui? Are you serious? Sure we are.

The larger of the Sirui tripods that appeared in the Little Studio turns out to be a compact design - the company recognizes that people are travelling more these days and need to travel lighter. We also know that they may be travelling with the DSLR rather than the mirror-less systems - hence the need to hold heavier loads.

The Sirui T 2204X and the Sirui K30 X are partners - albeit partners that you have to purchase separately and mate together. They are designed for supporting the larger system cameras while still retaining lightness and compact size themselves. These are components for people who are going to stand at the airline counter and look over the excess-baggage price list with nervousness.

The tripod starts out as a carbon fibre design with screw-lock legs. The yoke is a lightweight forged casting - more weight saved. It folds back 180º into itself for space saving. it packs into a nylon case with the K-30 X head still attached.

You might just get away with it in the cabin locker or at least not get charged extra in the hold. Give it a try and remember to be pleasant - you never know your luck.

The whole rig only weighs 1.9 Kg all up and can support up to 30 Kg. You want to ponder going out in the morning with 30 Kg of photo equipment stacked around you - mainly ponder what you'll feel like as you come back at night. Perhaps best to take only three giant telephoto lenses out at a time, eh?

Whatever the state of your joints and back at 6:00 PM at least you will know that the Sirui T 2204X / K30X combo is not responsible for the pains. Hope the pictures come out okay.